Igls, Austria

The ultimate guide to Igls ski holidays in 2016 & 2017.

A former Olympic resort, Igls sits in the Innsbruck mountain range and is less than half an hour from the big city itself. Here you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds: the sleepy charm of an old spa town in the mountains and the chance to pop into Innsbruck if you’re craving the lights and sites of the city.

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Snowboard

At a glance: • Near Innsbruck • Opportunity to upgrade to a glacier ski pass • Olympic bob sleigh and Olympic Run

Great for: • Families • Short transfer • Glacier skiing

A former Olympic resort, Igls sits in the Innsbruck mountain range and is less than half an hour from the big city itself. Here you’ll enjoy the best of both worlds: the sleepy charm of an old spa town in the mountains and the chance to pop into Innsbruck if you’re craving the lights and sites of the city.

Igls ski holidays

Accom'AccommodationIgls Holiday Accommodation

Igls Ski Resort

Sitting beneath Innsbruck’s standout mountain, the Patscherkofel, and surrounded by Alpine forest, you’ll find pretty Igls. There is little traffic in this sleepy village, where authentic architecture is prevalent with a charming parish church, traditional farm houses, cafes, shops and hotels scattered around the main square.

Igls was host to the 1976 Olympics and its sporting legacy is still very much present today, with much of the infrastructure still in place including the Olympic bobsleigh, luge track and the modern Convention Centre. The bobsleigh run is hugely popular amongst visitors who can also try out winter activities including curling, winter hiking, ice skating and tobogganing.

You can enjoy the best of both worlds during a stay here - while the village is traditional and quiet, the lively student city of Innsbruck is just 5km away and easily accessible by car, bus or tram. Innsbruck airport is just a thirty minute drive away, offering one of the shortest airport transfer times around and if you’re opting for the train journey to the mountains, Innsbruck’s station is also the nearest to the resort.

Terrific for a ski holiday combined with some serious R & R, Igls has been recognised as a spa town since the middle ages, with its sulphur baths legendary for their healing properties. If the fresh air and high altitude exercise isn’t doing you enough good, you can always book in for a detox or some Kneipp water therapy at Parkhotel Igls.

The local area has six runs that are ideally suited to beginners and intermediates. While advanced skiers are unlikely to feel challenged by the local runs, Igls is covered by the Innsbruck Glacier pass, otherwise known as The Olympia SkiWorld Innsbruck. This gives skiers and snowboarders access to 8 other resorts and some amazing skiing opportunities nearby, including glacier skiing on the famous Stubai.

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Skiing/BoardingSkiing in Igls

The Patscherkofel – Innsbruck ski area is made up of 18km of piste from forgiving beginner slopes to challenging Olympic terrain. The uncrowded nursery slopes by the village centre are ideal for beginners to build up their confidence before moving on to the long blue which is accessed from the Bergstation.

The Patscherkofelbahn cable car will take skiers to the top of the village to the main skiing area where there’s a selection of easy blues and reds. The two Family runs on the Patscherkofel to Panoramabahn and Olex are long, gentle blues popular with beginners. For more experienced skiers, the Heiligwasserpisten is a relatively easy red and intermediates should aim to complete the Olympic Run at Patscherkofel, a long red on which Franz Klammer scored a gold medal in the 1976 Olympics.

Off-piste skiing through the trees below the Panoramabahn is very enjoyable especially after heavy snowfall and there are 200km of cross country ski tracks in the area. Night skiing is available twice a week around the Olex Ski Centre towards the bottom of the Patscherkofel, a 20 minute walk or a bus or taxi ride from Igls.

Once you’ve perfected the 6 runs in Igls, venture out to the other resorts included in the Innsbruck Glacier Lift Pass. One highlight of getting this pass has to be the Stubai glacier which reaches elevations of over 3000m and offers stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area. The glacier has something to suit both skiers and snowboarders of all ages and skillsets. There are 100km of runs to keep you busy, in addition to off-piste ski tours and an amazing learning area for kids. Freestylers won’t miss the lack of Snowpark in Igls itself thanks to the glacier’s Moreboards Stubai Zoo, a big, snow guaranteed park with kickers, rails and boxes.

Igls Apres Ski

There is a small selection of cafés, restaurants and bars in this low-key resort but it is not a hub of activity after dark. The majority of bars are located within the hotels including the rustic Bon Alpina, or the cosy bar at the Batzenhäusl. There are a handful of restaurants in the village to choose from - we like Aegidihof for reasonably priced local and international dishes. If you want to go out late, there’s a disco in the Sporthotel.

For more variety, take a bus, tram or taxi to Innsbruck, a dynamic student city with plenty to offer in terms of nightlife that’s just 5km away. Head to the square in Innsbruck’s Old Town for a superior selection of bars and cafes where you can eat, drink and dance the night away. Popular haunts include Piano Bar, Hofgarten Cafe and Zwolver.

You’ll find a seemingly endless list of activities and excursions on offer, including winter hiking, horse riding, curling and sleigh riding. There is a natural toboggan run and a natural ice rink nearby and more adventurous types can try paragliding. Not to miss is a run on the Olympic bob sled course.

There are also a host of indoor activities available. Indoor squash is available at Kupark or if you have had enough of exercise then there is a museum and a library in the village. Buying a reasonably priced Innsbruck Card will give you access to the museums, galleries and other public buildings in Innsbruck. To truly unwind, take advantage of Igls’ spa town status and book some treatments at Sporthotel or Parkhotel. There are numerous cultural attractions in surrounding areas and so an excursion to Salzburg, St Moritz, Munich and even Venice is possible.

Best time to go

Best time to ski Igls

When is the best time to ski Igls?

Its north facing slopes and close proximity to the Stubai glacier mean that Igls enjoys excellent snow conditions for most of the ski season. There are also 18 snow canons covering all of Igls’ slopes. While the high winds that frequent the village have on occasion led to slope closures, the Innsbruck glacier pass gives access to a number of lifts and pistes above 2000m, including the Olympic run, which should remain open throughout the season. If snow conditions are ever lacking locally, head to the Stubai glacier (included in the Innsbruck Glacier pass), which is open 365 days a year for guaranteed skiing. The glacier, which reaches elevations of over 3000m and has 100km of runs, is a great option for when ski conditions are poor in the surrounding area.

February half term in Igls is popular with families who value the facilities for children and array of activities on offer thanks to attractions including the toboggan run and ice rink.
Browse Igls Half Term ski holidays ‣

Easter in Igls is relatively warm and while snow conditions may not be great around the village, the Stubai glacier has guaranteed snow all year and there are loads of outdoor activities, including horse riding and tobogganing to try in the sun.
Browse Igls Easter ski holidays ‣

Igls Ratings & Customer Feedback

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Average Rating 4.5 out of 5

It’s beautiful area. Igls town is very small but there is plenty for non-skiers to do. The food and drinks at the hotel were so good we didn’t really need to go out, but there are a few restaurants in the village. There’s a nice coffee shop too. The village hosts events too; one night there was a concert in ...
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Jean, Norfolk

4 out of 5

This is not the place for very serious skiers who want to ski a large area. The skiing here on the Patcherkofel is demanding but the ski area is limited. It’s first class if you don’t mind getting the train or the bus to other places though. There’s lots to do for people who don’t ski as well. There are nic...
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Families in Igls

With a short transfer time, child-friendly ski area and excellent tuition options, this is a super place to bring the clan. In the village itself, the Kasererwiese is a gentle hill dedicated entirely to beginners and children, with a conveniently located restaurant where you can keep an eye on the little ones from the sun terrace. Skischule Innsbruck have a Ski Kindergarten where they provide fun 2 hour lessons or full day courses and there’s a Kids Ski College run by Snowsport Igls for children aged 5-14 who are already familiar with the slopes. You can book private 1:1 lessons, hire an instructor for a small group or ask for a family instructor if you all want to learn and improve together.

Thanks to the area’s 2 blue ‘Family runs’, accessible from the Olympiaexpress and Panoramabahn, you can all ski together once the beginners have mastered the snowplough. Tweens and teens with more experience on the piste might like the Snowpark Innsbruck Patscherkofel which now extends the whole length of the Panorama Chairlift from a lofty 2050m – as well as various obstacles, there’s usually a BBQ and DJ to add to the experience. Off the slopes, have a go on the Olympic bob sled, enjoy quality time on the toboggan run or swap your skis for skates on the local ice rink.

We have some fantastic family-friendly accommodation, minutes from the nursery slope and often with doorstep skiing, making an easy week for all ages. The great thing about Igls is that it’s only a half hour transfer from Innsbruck airport – keeping the occurrence of ‘are we nearly there yet?’ to a minimum and letting you enjoy the snow as much as possible. Group one of our hotels with flights and transfers for great value and easy booking – call the number above and our ski specialists will have you jetting off to your perfect holiday in no time.

GroupsGroup Holidays Igls

Igls is a terrific destination for groups of beginners and intermediates - while beginners get to grips with the wide and gentle slopes on the on the Patschertkofel by the village centre, intermediates can ski the 8km collection of red runs. Although experts might not find enough of an adrenaline kick in the local area, this pass covers some excellent opportunities for cross-country, off-piste and glacier skiing.

Any non-skiers tagging along will have plenty to do outdoors like tobogganing, ice climbing and ice skating as well as the famous Olympic bob sled course. The town’s spa status is a huge attraction for non-skiers too – relax, detox and book some Kneipp water therapy at Parkhotel’s Health Retreat. The nearby town of Innsbruck will satisfy any need for retail therapy and has a number of cultural attractions and Salzburg, Munich and even Venice are close enough for a day trip.

There isn’t a huge number of restaurants in the village and most hotels offer a half board package which will take care of your breakfast and evening meal. If you do want to eat out, the Aegidihof restaurant has an extensive food and drinks menu and serves both local and international dishes so even the fussiest eaters should find something they like.

The hotel bars are responsible for providing the majority of night-time entertainment - the Bon Alpina and the Batzenhäusl are two really popular venues. The Sporthotel has a disco but if you want a proper night of dancing, spend an evening in the student city of Innsbruck where there are bars and discos catering to all music tastes.

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"Beautiful with good links to Innsbruck"

Jean, Norfolk

4/ out of 5

It’s beautiful area. Igls town is very small but there is plenty for non-skiers to do. The food and drinks at the hotel were so good we didn’t really need to go out, but there are a few restaurants in the village. There’s a nice coffee shop too. The village hosts events too; one night there was a concert in the town hall. I don’t ski but my husband does and he says it’s an excellent place to ski. He didn’t think it was hard skiing at all, most of it is easy and there are nursery slopes for children/beginners. There’s a bus stop outside the hotel and it only takes 15 minutes to Innsbruck. The fare is very reasonable and you can actually get a 3 day Innsbruck pass which allows you to go further afield. There is plenty of opportunity to go to other ski resorts and towns from Innsbruck. I liked exploring the cathedrals and museums and shops, it’s a charming town. It’s worth taking the little tram too.

"Quiet, lovely village"

Roy Ballard, Norwich

5/ out of 5

This is not the place for very serious skiers who want to ski a large area. The skiing here on the Patcherkofel is demanding but the ski area is limited. It’s first class if you don’t mind getting the train or the bus to other places though. There’s lots to do for people who don’t ski as well. There are nice walking paths and you can go to Innsbruck easily on the train. The surrounding area is beautiful with trams and forests and plenty to keep you busy. There are a few nice bars but this is not a place for ravers. The ski season is very short here as well because it is low – by March the season is really finished.